Kinetics of esterification of acetic acid with 1-octanol in the presence of Amberlyst 36

Kinetic data on the esterification of acetic acid with 1-octanol were obtained from both uncatalyzed and heterogeneously catalyzed reactions using a stirred batch reactor in toluene. The equilibrium constant, Kc, which is independent of temperature ranging from 333 to 358 K, was found to be 60.7. The uncatalyzed reaction was proved to be a second-order reversible reaction. In the presence of Amberlyst 36, the reaction was found to follow the Eley–Rideal mechanism, and the surface reaction is a rate-limiting step. From this model, the reaction rate can be given by the expression:−rA=k(m/V)(CACB−(CECW/KC))(1+KACA+KWCW).The temperature dependencies of the constants appearing in the rate expressions were also calculated to be:k   (L2/g dry resin⋅mol⋅min)=exp1.07−2991T,KA(L/mol)=exp12954T−38.28,   andKW(L/mol)=exp25427T−76.15,where T is the absolute temperature in Kelvin.

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► 1-Octanol and acetic acid reaction catalyzed by Amberlyst 36 was investigated.
► Kinetic model was developed.
► Reaction follows the Eley–Rideal mechanism.